Northwestern expands in northwest Indiana with new partnership

A venture between the hospital giant and Franciscan Health aims to improve access to quality care for patients with neurological conditions.

A venture between the hospital giant and Franciscan Health aims to improve access to quality care for patients with neurological conditions.

A new partnership between Northwestern Medicine and Franciscan Health aims to improve access to quality care for patients with neurological conditions in Indiana, the health systems announced today.

As part of the agreement, Northwestern Memorial Hospital will expand its Telestroke program to four Franciscan acute care hospitals in Indiana—Franciscan Health Crown Point, Franciscan Health Dyer, Franciscan Health Hammond and Franciscan Health Munster—the systems said in a joint statement.

The videoconferencing program connects stroke patients with vascular neurologists at Northwestern Memorial so they can conduct examinations, interpret brain scan results and make treatment recommendations in consultation with Franciscan physicians, according to the statement.

"This unique affiliation will offer enhanced care to residents in areas who may have limited access to leading specialists and cutting-edge clinical trials,” Dr. Maciej Lesniak, Michael J. Marchese professor of neurosurgery and chair of the department of neurological surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said in the statement.

The partnership also involves neurosurgeon Dr. Kevin Jackson moving to Franciscan Health Crown Point from Northwestern Medicine. Jackson, who joined the Northwestern team in May, previously ran his own practice in the western suburbs.

"My goal is to provide comprehensive and minimally invasive surgical treatment options for patients with complex brain and spinal issues," Jackson said in the statement. "I'm excited to foster this new relationship with two well-established health systems to provide better patient care coordination across Chicago and northwest Indiana."